Results 11,941-11,960 of 12,604 for speaker:Willie O'Dea

Defence Forces Reserve. (21 Apr 2005)

Willie O'Dea: I propose to take Questions Nos. 9 and 41 together. The military authorities have advised that the strength of the Reserve Defence Force, including An Slua Muirí, is 12,287. Good progress has been made with the reorganisation to date. On 26 July 2004 my predecessor, Deputy Michael Smith, officially launched the Reserve Defence Force review implementation plan, which is the start of a process...

Defence Forces Reserve. (21 Apr 2005)

Willie O'Dea: An implementation group in the Department is operating the restructuring of the Defence Forces. It is true, however, that certain property owned by the Department of Defence, which is being used currently, will not be in use later. I am sure the Deputy will be pleased to hear that we have a standing agreement with the Department of Finance that money raised through the sale by the Department...

Civil Defence Board. (21 Apr 2005)

Willie O'Dea: The terms of the statement of settlement referred to by the Deputy were agreed by both parties in the context of the former chairman of the Civil Defence Board agreeing not to proceed with his application for judicial review. I consider, therefore, that it would not be appropriate for me at this stage to comment either on that statement or on the statement of my predecessor in this House on...

Civil Defence Board. (21 Apr 2005)

Willie O'Dea: I did not make the allegation. I will briefly explain the background. I cannot dispute the validity of anything Deputy Sherlock has said, but except for the settlement, all these events preceded my time in the Department of Defence. When the individual referred to in the question was sacked as chairman of the Civil Defence Board, he initiated an action for judicial review. I told my officials...

Civil Defence Board. (21 Apr 2005)

Willie O'Dea: Yes. He made a statement, and in the agreement between the individual concerned and the Department of Defence, the Department made its own statements. As far as I can determine, the matter is now closed.

Defence Forces Strength. (21 Apr 2005)

Willie O'Dea: Strength figures are usually collated at the end of each quarter. The closest date to 1 June 1997 for which strength figures were returned was 30 June 1997. The strength figures for 30 June 1997 and 1 January 2005 are as follows: Date Officers NCOS Privates Total 30 June 1997 127 455 432 1,014 1 January 2005 156 490 442 1,088 The White Paper on Defence of February 2000 sets...

Defence Forces Strength. (21 Apr 2005)

Willie O'Dea: Deputy Timmins will be aware that in the 2002 budget, the Minister for Finance announced a cap on numbers working in the public sector and in addition announced a personnel reduction of 5,000. My Department's contribution to that is to phase out the 250 extra recruits over a three-year period. We are still authorised to have 10,500 members of the Permanent Defence Force. Regarding the Naval...

Overseas Missions. (21 Apr 2005)

Willie O'Dea: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1 and 5 together. The United Nations department of peacekeeping operations has invited Ireland to contribute a small number of Defence Forces personnel to act as UN military observers with the recently established United Nations mission in the Sudan. The request to participate in the peacekeeping operation in the Sudan is being given the careful consideration...

Overseas Missions. (21 Apr 2005)

Willie O'Dea: The request is the result of UN Resolution 1590 of 24 March 2005. A small number of military personnel at officer level have been requested to act as observers to the mission in southern Sudan rather than in Darfur. The Chief of Staff of the Army has circulated the Defence Forces seeking volunteers and this process will conclude on 28 April. Currently, 134 officers serve abroad. If more than...

Overseas Missions. (21 Apr 2005)

Willie O'Dea: A formal request has been received for soldiers from the United Nations. I have consulted the Minister of State, Deputy Conor Lenihan, who has recently been to the Sudan and who has spoken to me about it in some detail. Our current commitment to UN missions abroad is 750 soldiers. According to the terms of the request we received, the mission will be a peacekeeping operation. A peace treaty...

Overseas Missions. (21 Apr 2005)

Willie O'Dea: The Minister of State, Deputy Conor Lenihan, has discussed the matter with me and expressed the view that there are serious problems with the current UN operation. It does not appear to be achieving the results we would all like to see. I agree, therefore, it is relatively ineffective. The UN has informed the Minister of State that it is attempting to take the appropriate steps to bolster the...

Overseas Missions. (21 Apr 2005)

Willie O'Dea: I am very happy to reassure Deputy Sherlock on the last point. We must carry out a security assessment before troops are committed to any mission. As we speak, a risk assessment operation is under way. The Deputy asked about peacekeeping and peace enforcement, and a great deal depends on how one interprets either term. According to the data which accompanied the UN request for soldiers, it...

Overseas Missions. (21 Apr 2005)

Willie O'Dea: While there is a significant difference, the Deputy will be aware that the Petersberg Tasks have been expanded to encompass peace enforcement as well as peacekeeping. I understand a comprehensive peace agreement for southern Sudan was signed by the Government of Sudan and the organisation calling itself The People's Liberation Army in Nairobi on 9 January 2005. As a result of the treaty,...

Security Escorts. (21 Apr 2005)

Willie O'Dea: To aid the civil power, meaning in practice to assist, when requested, the Garda Síochána which has the primary responsibility for law and order, including the protection of the internal security of the State, is among the roles assigned to the Defence Forces. In this regard, the Defence Forces assist the Garda as required in duties which include escorting cash deliveries to banks, post...

Security Escorts. (21 Apr 2005)

Willie O'Dea: Deputy Sherlock always asks his questions plainly and I will try to answer as plainly as I can. I do not consider it acceptable. If I thought it were acceptable I would not be negotiating for an increase. I would not have called in the institutions and said that I want an increased contribution from them. The initiative whereby the Garda Síochána, subsequently with back-up from the Army,...

Security Escorts. (21 Apr 2005)

Willie O'Dea: I agree it is not acceptable that only 43% of the costs of security escorts are being met at present. That is why I have been endeavouring to increase the contribution. I am not asking the banks for the full cost of the cash escorts because all the activity does not relate to banks. Some 20% covers post offices and a small amount relates to other financial institutions such as the Central...

Common Foreign and Security Policy. (21 Apr 2005)

Willie O'Dea: A decision to establish an intergovernmental agency in the field of defence capabilities development, research, acquisition and armaments, known as the European Defence Agency, was formally adopted at the General Affairs and External Relations Council meeting on 12 July 2004. Following an initial start-up phase during 2004, the agency is now operational, with its senior management in place...

Common Foreign and Security Policy. (21 Apr 2005)

Willie O'Dea: I will answer Deputy Gormley's questions in sequence. The Government took a decision on 6 July 2004, to participate in this agency. Every other government in Europe is participating with the exception of Denmark, according to my information. I presume the Attorney General attended that meeting, although it was before my time in Government. I presume he would have advised the Government if it...

Common Foreign and Security Policy. (21 Apr 2005)

Willie O'Dea: Deputy Gormley will also be aware that there is severe pressure on Government time. Every morning on the Order of Business we are asked the whereabouts of this, that or the other Bill. Time is not limitless. However, I would not agree that the objective of this agency is to spend more. It seems to me from what I have read about it, that the whole focus is on better spending and that is why——

Common Foreign and Security Policy. (21 Apr 2005)

Willie O'Dea: As far as I can see "better" is the primary focus. I do not believe there is anything particularly sinister about this. Every country in Europe, with the exception of Denmark, has agreed to participate. At the moment, we have just agreed to be involved in the framework. No particular project has been undertaken yet. For example, a procurement project has not been undertaken and nobody has yet...